Flexible circuits are used with devices, such as tape drives. For example, a flexible circuit can be coupled to the multichannel thin film magneto-resistive tape heads used in a tape drive. With multichannel tape heads, many leads are required to read data, write data and sense servo information on the tape. For an eight channel data head, for example, 80 or more traces may be divided between two separate flex circuits. Additionally, shield connectors, ground lines and substrate connections can increase the number of traces utilized. Furthermore, 16 channel tape heads are becoming more readily available, and such heads can require, for example, 160 traces spread over two flex circuits. As the number of channels increases, difficulties arise in routing the flexible circuit due to, for example, width of the flexible circuit and/or increased stresses on the traces.